Cap with air passage

ABSTRACT

A cap includes a cap body and a clip attached to the cap body. The cap body has a small portion in a tip side thereof, and the sectional shape of the small portion is smaller than that of the adjacent portion. The clip has an annular mounting portion mounted on the outside of the small portion. An air passage is formed between the mounting portion and the small portion, and adapted for communicating a space before the tip side end with a space between the clip body and the cap body in a tail side portion of the cap. Alternately, a cap is formed with a first air passage between the mounting portion and the small portion for communicating a space before the tip end of the mounting portion and a space after the tail end of the mounting portion, a second air passage formed in the cap body for communicating a space before the cap body and a space after the cap body, the first air passage being connected to the second air passage.

BACKGROUND ART

The present invention relates to a cap which is to be attached to a tipportion of a writing implement, application implement or the like.

In general, a cap which is to be attached to a writing implement or thelike is comparatively small in size. Accordingly, there is a likelihoodthat an infant mistakenly swallows the cap which in turn chokes thethroat. If the throat should be completely blocked by the cap, theinfant will probably be suffocated before a doctor arrives on the scene.Accordingly, it is extremely preferable that the cap has a structure inwhich a passage for respiration can be secured even if the infantswallows the cap by mistake.

As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-157898,there has been provided a cap having an air passage formed in an outerperiphery of the cap for rendering a tip side space of the capcommunicate with a tail side space of the cap to secure a respirationpassage.

With the above-mentioned cap, it is necessary to provide the air passagein the outer periphery of the cap. Consequently, the structure of thecap is complicated. In addition, there is a disadvantage that thediameter of the cap is unnecessarily large. In particular, in a casewhere a clip is attached to the cap with an annular body of the clipmounted on the outer periphery of the cap, the cap has a largerdiameter, which consequently mars the appearance.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

To solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention employs thefollowing structure.

A cap of the present invention comprises a cap body and a clip attachedto the cap body, the cap body having a small portion in a tip sidethereof, and the small portion having smaller sectional shape than anadjacent portion thereto, the clip having an annular mounting portionmounted on an outside of the small portion of the cap body, and an airpassage for communicating a space before the tip side end of the capwith a space between the clip body and the cap body.

With this cap, a passage for respiration can be secured in case ofemergency by the air passage formed between the small portion of the capbody and the mounting portion of the clip mounted on the outside of thecap body, and the space formed between the clip body and the cap body.

Also, a cap of the present invention comprises a cap body and a clipattached to the cap body, the cap body having a small portion in a tipside thereof and the small portion having smaller sectional shape thanan adjacent portion thereto, the clip having an annular mounting portionmounted on an outside of the small portion of the cap body, a first airpassage formed between the mounting portion and the small portion forcommunicating a space before a tip end of the mounting portion with aspace after a tail end of the mounting portion, and a second air passageformed in the cap body for communicating a space before the cap bodywith a space after the cap body, the first air passage being connectedto the second air passage.

With this cap, a passage for respiration can be secured in case ofemergency by the first air passage formed between the small portion ofthe cap body and the mounting portion of the clip mounted on the outsideof the cap body, and the second air passage formed in the cap body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 (a) is a front view showing a cap body of a first embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 1 (b) is a side view showing the cap body;

FIG. 2 (a) is a front view showing a clip for the cap body;

FIG. 2 (b) is a side view showing the clip;

FIG. 3 (a) is a front view showing the cap;

FIG. 3 (b) is a side view showing the cap;

FIG. 4 (a) is a front view showing a cap body of a second embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 4 (b) is a side view showing the cap body;

FIG. 5 (a) is a front view showing a clip for the cap body;

FIG. 5 (b) is a side view showing the clip;

FIG. 6 (a) is a front view showing the cap;

FIG. 6 (b) is a side view showing the cap;

FIG. 7 (a) is a front view showing a cap body of a third embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 7 (b) is a side view showing the cap body;

FIG. 8 (a) is a front view showing a clip for the cap body;

FIG. 8 (b) is a side view showing the clip;

FIG. 9 (a) is a front view showing the cap;

FIG. 9 (b) is a side view showing the cap;

FIG. 10 (a) is a front view showing a cap of a fourth embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 10 (b) is a side view showing the cap.

BEST MODE FOR EMBODYING THE INVENTION

A first embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIGS. 1 (a) and (b) show a cap body 10. FIGS. 2 (a) and (b) show a clip12 which is to be attached to the cap body 10.

The cap body 10 has a hollow whose tail side end (right side in FIG. 1)is opened and whose tip side end is closed completely. The cap body 10includes a small diameter portion 101 (small portion) formed in a tipside portion and a large diameter portion 102 having a larger diameterthan that of the small diameter portion 101. A step 103 is formedbetween the small diameter portion 101 and the large diameter portion102.

The clip 12 includes an annular mounting portion 14 and a clip body 16.The mounting portion 14 has a through hole 141. The clip body 16 extendsfrom a portion of the outer periphery of the mounting portion 14 to atail side end.

The mounting portion 14 has an inside diameter which substantiallycorresponds to an outside diameter of the small diameter portion 101 ofthe cap body 10. A plurality of grooves 142 are axially formed in theinner periphery of the mounting portion 14. A plurality of projections143 are formed on the tail side end surface of the mounting portion 14.The mounting portion 14 is mounted on the outside of the small diameterportion 101. Consequently, a cap 18 is constructed as shown in FIGS. 3(a) and (b).

With the cap 18 constructed above, the grooves 142 of the mountingportion 14 provide air passages between the mounting portion 14 and thesmall diameter portion 101 of the cap body 10. In addition, theprojections 143 provide spaces between the tail side end surface of themounting portion 14 and the step 103 of the cap body 10. Consequently, aspace before the tip end of the cap 18 communicates with a space 20between the clip body 16 and the cap body 10 in a tail side portion ofthe cap 18. Accordingly, even if an infant swallows the cap 18 bymistake, passages for respiration can be secured by the space 20 and theair passages.

Also, in this embodiment, an air passage is not formed in the cap body10 as the conventional cap. Accordingly, the cap body 10 can be formedmore easily. In addition, it is not necessary to increase the diameterof the cap body 10. Consequently, an improved appearance can beobtained.

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 4 to 6.

As shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and (b), a clip 12 has a mounting portion 14 inthe form of a mere ring. As shown in FIGS. 4 (a) and (b), a cap body 10has a groove 104 extending from a small diameter portion 101 to a tipside portion of a large diameter portion 102.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and (b), the mountingportion 14 of the clip 12 is mounted on the outside of the smalldiameter portion 101 of the cap body 10. Accordingly, the groove 104provides an air passage, which consequently enable a space before thetip end of the cap 18 to communciate with a space 20 between the clipbody 16 and the cap body 10 in a tail side portion of the cap 18. Inthis case, also, it is not necessary to form a passage in the cap body10 and increase the diameter of the cap body 10.

A third embodiment of the present invention will be described withreference to FIGS. 7 to 9.

As shown in FIGS. 7 (a) and (b), a cap body has a gap (second airpassage) 105 between a small diameter portion 101 and a large diameterportion 102. The small diameter portion 101 and the large portion 102are connected to each other by means of ribs 106. The small diameterportion 101 is shaped into a small cap. The tip of a writing implementis to be inserted into the small diameter portion 101. As shown in FIGS.8 (a) and (b), on the other hand, a mounting portion 14 of a clip 12 hasa plurality of grooves 142 in similar to those shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and(b).

As shown in FIGS. 9 (a) and (b), the mounting portion 14 of the clip 12is mounted on the outside of the small diameter portion 101 of the capbody 10. Accordingly, the grooves 142 provide first air passages and thegap 105 provides a second passage communicating with the first airpassages, which thus secures a passage for respiration in case ofemergency. In this case, also, a passage is secured between the mountingportion 14 and the small diameter portion 101. Consequently, it is notnecessary to increase the diameter of the cap 18.

FIGS. 10 (a) and (b) show a fourth embodiment of the present invention.In this embodiment, a plurality of ribs 106 are formed on the outside ofa small diameter portion 101 in the form of a cap into which the tip ofa writing implement is to be inserted. An annular mounting portion 14 isdirectly mounted on outer surfaces of the ribs 106, so that first airpassages are formed between the small diameter portion 101 and themounting portion 14, and a second air passage is formed by a gap 105between the small diameter portion 101 and the large diameter portion102. Consequently, this embodiment can obtain the same effect as thethird embodiment.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to theabove-mentioned embodiments, and may adopt the following manners.

(1) According to the present invention, it is sufficient to make themounting portion have a hollow. In addition to the hollow cylindricalmounting portions shown in the above-mentioned embodiments, a hollowpolygonal, hollow elliptical, or other shaped mounting portion can beused. The shape of the small diameter portion is made to correspond tothe shape of the above-mentioned mounting portions.

(2) According to the present invention, the shape of the clip and thecap body is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and may beappropriately changed according to uses.

INDUSTRIAL AVAILABILITY

As described above, a cap of the present invention comprises a cap bodyand a clip attached to the cap body. In addition, the clip includes anannular mounting portion mounted on the outside of the cap body. An airpassage is formed between the mounting portion and a small diameterportion of the cap body. Consequently, a passage for respiration can besecured in case of emergency. Furthermore, the shape of the cap body isnot complicated and the diameter of the cap body is not increased.Accordingly, a cap with an improved appearance can be obtained.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cap comprising a cap body and a clip attachedto the cap body, the cap body having a small portion in a tip sidethereof, and the small portion having smaller sectional shape that anadjacent portion thereto, the clip having an annular mounting portionmounted on an outside of the small portion of the cap body, and an airpassage for communicating a space before the tip side end of the capwith a space between the clip body and the cap body.
 2. A cap accordingto claim 1, wherein the mounting portion is formed with a groove in aninner periphery thereof and a projection on a tail side end surfacethereof, the groove forming an air passage between the mounting portionand the small portion with the mounting portion mounted on the outsideof the small portion, and the projection forming a clearance between thetail side end surface of the mounting portion and the cap body with themounting portion mounted on the outside of the small portion.
 3. A capaccording to claim 1, wherein the cap body is formed with a groove fromthe small portion to a portion adjacent to the small portion, the grooveforming an air passage between the small portion and the mountingportion with the mounting portion mounted on the outside of the smallportion.
 4. A cap comprising a cap body and a clip attached to the capbody, the cap body having a small portion in a tip side thereof and thesmall portion having smaller sectional shape than an adjacent portionthereto, the clip having an annular mounting portion mounted on anoutside of the small portion of the cap body, a first air passage formedbetween the mounting portion and the small portion for communicating aspace before a tip end of the mounting portion with a space after a tailend of the mounting portion, and a second air passage formed in the capbody for communicating a space before the cap body with a space afterthe cap body, the first air passage being connected to the second airpassage.
 5. A cap according to claim 4, wherein the second air passageis formed between the small portion and the other portion of the capbody, and the first air passage is formed between the small portion anda groove provided in the inner periphery of the mounting portion withthe mounting portion mounted on the outside of the small portion.
 6. Acap according to claim 4, wherein the second air passage is formedbetween the small portion and the other portion of the cap body, and thefirst air passage is formed between the mounting portion and a ribprovided on the outer periphery of the small portion with the mountingportion mounted on the outside of the small portion.